Ripples in Life
by Kunoichi Uchiha
Summary: Oneshot: Yuffie is a girl who holds all of her pain inside. She meets a man who is willing to help her but she isn't sure if she wants his help. AU Clouffie. Dedicated to Kawaii Eyez.


**A/N- Oneshot Clouffie! I hope you enjoy it. Alternate Universe. It's been a while since I have written anything and the reason is…I bought the entire Rurouni Kenshin anime on DVD and almost all of the manga! I know you were probably expecting something like "My computer broke" but no. **

**Disclaimer- I do not own Kingdom Hearts. The dog is from is from Full Metal Alchemist.**

**This fic is dedicated to Kawaii Eyez for giving me both Sasuke and Kenshin on her profile! Yeah! Maybe I should change my name to Kunoichi Uchiha-Himura! LOL **

It was late morning, the last of the springtime dewdrops drying from the grass. The sun had almost risen to its apex and cast a warm glow on everything within reach. Bright colors of life and rebirth were as far as the eye could see and a soft smell of wildflowers drifted through the air. Everything was so vivid and alive that one could not help but to stop and bask in the delightfulness of it all. That is unless you are being pulled around by a Saint Bernard that weights more than twice as much as you do…

"Alexander!" yelled a young girl while she tried to acquire some measure of control over the giant beast. She dug her heals into the ground in an attempt to stop the dog's momentum but only succeeded in slowing him down slightly and causing her heels to burn from the friction. Her arms felt like they were about to dislocate at her shoulders and her legs were extremely unstable from her forced steps.

"Stop running you stupid hulk of a dog!" she screamed desperately. The dog, as if comprehending her words, skidded to a stop by a rather fine-looking mailbox and proceeded to mark his territory. Yuffie sighed and made an effort to catch her breath.

She knew she was going to be extremely late to Leon's barbeque today but, when faced with a choice, one must decide what is more advantageous for one's self. Between dealing with Leon's wrath and having Alexander mark his territory all over her house, she new the prior was a more favorable decision. After all, she was much more adept at arguing than cleaning.

Alexander finished his business by kicking nearby dirt on to the white latticework mailbox with his hind legs. He seemed satisfied with himself and, if he were human, Yuffie imagined he would be letting out a content sigh right now. Yuffie began pulling the dog away before the owners of the house, or the postal workers for that matter, noticed the defilement.

It was surprising that the canine did not attempt to drag Yuffie back to the house. He seemed happy walking beside her calmly while sniffing at any scents that caught his interest along the way. He really was a good dog when he wasn't hauling her half way around the neighborhood. Her friends had thought she was crazy when she, at five-foot-two and ninety-five pounds, had brought home a dog that was pushing two-hundred pounds. Leon had make an attempt to take the dog away in fear of his petite friend's well being, but even he could not make Alexander budge when he was unwilling to do so. In the end, Alexander had become a permanent occupant of Yuffie's home.

Yuffie felt blissful as she walked in the warm morning air with Alexander. Spring had carried with it the satisfying warmth that brought life back to the world from its winter slumber. The kind of warmth that not only heated your body, but touched your very soul, awakening your most enriching emotions from the depth of your being. Yuffie wanted nothing more than to spend the entire day walking outside and experiencing her emotional catharsis. All thoughts of lateness were lost in the emotional high she felt in the springtime ambiance. Too bad this harmony was not to last.

As Yuffie neared her home, she noticed the extra car in the lot meaning only one thing; Leon had sent in the cavalry. Yuffie's consistent lateness to every single arranged get-together had been one of Leon's pet peeves for the entire duration of their friendship. It was only natural that he would have a plan to make sure of her punctuality today.

Yuffie groaned as Alexander began to tow her toward the front door and the visitor that awaited them there. He practically rammed into an unsuspecting Tifa in a very Alexander-like show of affection. Yuffie smiled sheepishly as Tifa warily petted the animal that was currently drooling on her more than she thought was physically possible. Yuffie knew that Leon would send Tifa. No one else could forcefully make her come and at the same time make sure she wore a decent outfit. Tifa was her complete and utter downfall in situations like this.

"You had better go and change Yuffie. We are leaving in fifteen minutes," Tifa stated as she took Alexander's leash from Yuffie's hand and ushered her into the house. Yuffie let out a frustrated moan as she stomped toward her bedroom. Tifa occupied herself with striving to prevent dog saliva from staining her white blouse and keeping an eye on the time. Leon would have her head if they were both late.

A loud crash was heard coming from Yuffie's bedroom and Alexander perked his head up in attention. Tifa watched in fascination as the dog headed over to the bedroom door and began to scratch and paw the door, begging for entrance. He barked twice and an "I'm fine Alexander," was heard from inside the room. Tifa almost laughed at the connection between the two. The gargantuan dog really was the perfect match for the high-spirited Yuffie. Tifa checked her watch and growled at the time.

"Hurry up Yuffie," Tifa yelled while knocking on Yuffie's bedroom door. The door opened and Yuffie stepped out with an aggravated look on her face.

"I broke my flower pot," explained the shorthaired youth with her eyebrows furrowed in irritation. Tifa looked inside at the mess curiously before grabbing Yuffie by the forearm and dragging her to the front door.

"I'll help you clean it up later. Right now, we have to go," Tifa said to ease her friend's anxiety. Alexander let out a whine of protest at Yuffie's leaving and gloomily settled himself on her white leather couch to await her return.

"I'll be back soon Alexander, be a good boy!" Yuffie yelled before Tifa slammed the door and lugged Yuffie to the car. Alexander let out another whimper as the car sped out of view.

XXXX

Leon's annual springtime barbeque took place in the field outside his family's countryside cottage. It was a rather large area set up with picnic tables and blankets for guests. They used three grills to cook the sizeable amount of food required for the visitors, and inside the cottage were side dishes that had already been prepared. The field itself was springing with new life. Wildflowers and bright green grass lined the area creating a soft ambiance that could only be associated with the season. All together, Leon had chosen the perfect setting and time for a social gathering amongst his friends.

Yuffie walked beside Tifa up to the location and looked at the numerous faces around the vicinity, some familiar and some not. Leon had a massive amount of friends and it appeared that they had all brought their own guests as well. She had never seen so many individuals at the annual barbeque before. A few children skidded past her in a game of tag and she suddenly wanted to join them rather than mingle with the masses.

"Wow, I never expected to see Yuffie here _this_ early," came a voice dripping with completely unadulterated sarcasm. She knew it could only be one person, the host himself, Squall Leonhart. She turned around to glare at him but stopped when she noticed the white apron he was wearing and the spatula in his hand; he almost looked, _domestic_. She busted out in laughter and pointed toward him mockingly.

"You look like a housewife Squall!" she said in between laughter. He gave her a fierce look before turning back toward the grill.

"I know you have never been early enough to see how the food is actually prepared so I'll let that little comment slide, and it's Leon," he said while concentrating on flipping a hamburger.

"Yeah whatever," she said looking around, "So, if the food isn't ready, what am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, go talk or something," he told her in an annoyed voice. She looked at the plentiful amount of people and suddenly felt very small.

'Why did I come here when I could be home with Alexander and, _not_ having to mingle with a horde of people?' she thought to herself. The truth was, Yuffie hated crowds immensely and became slightly claustrophobic in situations like this.

Everyone there seemed to be in their own little world, small cliques were formed throughout the party. Most guests were talking animatedly with others or sitting at the picnic tables and enjoying the soft breeze passing through. She felt like an outsider and the only people that she knew were currently occupied with other things. She let out a deep sigh of aggravation and continued to look for something to do.

Her eyes locked with a pair of cerulean blue eyes in the crowd and she looked over curiously. The brilliant azure orbs seamed to shimmer in the bright springtime sunlight and she felt captivated by their depth. She almost bowled over in shock when she got a closer look at the owner of the eyes. He was _gorgeous_. Bright blond hair the color of the sun sat wildly atop his head. His face could only be described as angelic and his skin was a flawless tan color. He was staring at her openly; his hands lazily tucked into the pockets of his faded jeans. She noticed that he hadn't looked away and she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. She had never been used to attention and receiving such an intense gaze from a man as handsome as him was slightly unnerving. She turned her eyes away from him, unable to stand his concentrated surveillance.

She had never seen him at any of Leon's functions before and she knew she would have remembered a man that attractive. 'He must be someone else's guest,' she thought suddenly. Ideas of him being the boyfriend of one of Leon's many female friends suddenly flew into her mind. 'They probably had a fight and he wants to flirt with other girls to make her jealous,' she reasoned, 'Why else would a guy like him pay any attention to a scrawny girl like me?'

She suddenly felt nauseous and wanted to disappear. The multitude of bodies everywhere was starting to make the air seem thinner and she looked for and escape route. There was only one place to flee to, the uninhabited area of the meadow. She took off in that direction before anyone could ensnare her in an unwanted conversation.

As she walked away, she continued to feel the handsome blonde man's stare on her form. 'Sorry buddy, but I'm not a home wrecker,' she declared to herself.

She walked to the field, a warm gust of wind blowing the tall blades of grass in a fluid dance. It was so peaceful away from everything and everyone. She knew this was the only place she would be able to find such tranquility. She took a seat on the ground, the fluffy grass cushioning her better than any feather pillow. It was pure bliss. Lying back, she rested her hands behind her head and stared up to the clouds. Breathing in the fresh air, she closed her eyes to bask in the stillness of nature.

It felt incomplete to be lying on the ground without Alexander rolling beside her. It was his favorite pastime and one of the reasons she had fallen in love with the dog. He was such a gentle giant. She didn't think she would be able to survive living alone in her huge house without him as company. Living by yourself was lonely enough but when you have a seven-bedroom house, it is even worse; too much empty space.

"I wish you were here Alexander," she all but whispered, the way the sound flowed off her tongue resembled the grass blades drifting in the wind.

"Who's Alexander?" came a deep voice, the masculinity of it sending a shiver up her spine. She opened her eyes and looked toward the direction the voice came from. When she once again found herself looking at hair too blonde to be natural she had to hold herself back from groaning aloud. 'Couldn't he take a hint?' she wondered to herself, 'When someone walks away after you ogle them with your eyes, that means they don't want anything to do with you!' she wanted to scream aloud. She had to think of some way to lose him before she had to deal with an overdramatic girlfriend wanting to chew her head off, or worse.

"My lover," she said slyly while turning her vision toward the clouds in the sky. She wasn't really lying after all; she loved Alexander, just not in the way she was making it seem. She felt the grass shift beside her and growled softly when the blonde man took a seat beside her.

"Is there something you want?" she asked bitterly. He turned to look at her with a small smile decorating his face, but the smile looked strained and there was something different about her eyes. It was as if the sparkling blue depths had lost a bit of their glimmer.

"You looked lonely," he said softly, "and sad." She looked over to him inquisitively, wondering how he could see through her so easily, "I'm lonely too so I figured we could keep each other company," he said all this with the same forlorn smile decorating his face.

Yuffie scowled and turned away, keeping her attention directed at the cumulus clouds hovering overhead and ignoring insufferable person beside her. She never did trust people who could read her emotions. She cared for her friends dearly but preferred that they stay out of her feelings. She didn't want anyone's help in matters of the heart, for no one could really understand the way she felt. She was startled out of her thoughts when the blue-eyed man lay down next to her and observed the sky as well.

"Do you like clouds?" he asked suddenly. Yuffie was surprised by his question but did not let it show.

"I don't see how it is any of your business but…I love clouds," she told him honestly, "I have always loved them, they are so mysterious that I can't help but to be drawn to them," her voice had taken on a dreamy quality and she seemed to be lost in her own world. She shook herself out of her thoughts and turned her attention back to bothersome man who would not leave her in peace.

"Who are you anyway?" she asked him. He turned to look at her with a mischievous smile on his face.

"Cloud," he said simply. His smile widened when she rolled her eyes at him.

"That's not funny," she said, anger beginning to leak through her voice. He let out a loud chuckle at her statement and Yuffie felt goose bumps appear on her skin at the rich baritone of his laughter.

"I'm glad," he said with a dazzling smile on his face, "I would hate for you to think my name was funny."

She scowled at him aggravated and went back to ignoring him. He found her to be quite amusing. He noticed he could not keep from smiling while in her presence. Leon had told him how delightful she was but found that her personality was much more captivating than Leon had given her credit. Cloud could not remember the last time he had laughed so genuinely. His laughter and smiles had always been forced, never complete, but for some reason this girl could bring out a joy in him that he had thought died long ago.

Leon's voice could be heard in the distance declaring that the food was ready and before she could even react, she found herself hauled to her feet. She was practically in Cloud's arms, his hands lightly resting on her elbows and his clear eyes staring at her keenly. She felt herself blush and before she knew it, she was being pulled along toward the cuisine. He had somehow entwined his hand with hers along the way and when they had made it back to Leon, he did not make an effort to let go.

'What is with this guy?' she wondered to herself as she tried to wiggle her hand out of his grasp. Leon had come to greet them and Yuffie noticed that his eyes lingered on their linked hands for a moment before his lips turned up at the corner in a pleased smirk. Yuffie began to twist her hand free again but found that his grip was not going to relent. She was slightly curious as to how he could hold her hand so securely but not cause any pain.

"I don't think Alexander would like you holding my hand like this," she said to him stealthily, a devious smirk on her face. She saw his eyes flash but he did not release her hand.

"Why would your dog care if Cloud holds your hand?" Leon asked while looking at her as if she had finally gone mad. She wanted to throttle him to a pulp at that moment but contented herself with glaring at him ominously.

Yuffie wanted to groan when she heard the same rich laugh from earlier. Leon watched Cloud laugh with an expression that could only be described as astonished and Yuffie wondered if he had ever seen him laugh before. It sounded like a strange friendship in her opinion.

"So…Alexander is your dog?" Cloud asked her with humor still dancing in his eyes. She chose not to answer him for fear of digging herself into an even deeper hole. The amused smile remained on his face as he turned back to Leon and Yuffie felt the need to flee return tenfold.

'I think I would rather deal with an envious girlfriend than this man any day,' she thought to herself, not liking the way her stomach fluttered in his presence.

Somehow, Cloud had managed to drag them into the center of the swarm of people and Yuffie began to feel queasy. She saw some guests were watching them absorbedly and she felt anxious under their gazes. When she heard a young teenage girl say something about a 'cute couple', she immediately understood what they were thinking. At first, she wanted to yank her hand from his and create some distance between them but she began to feel a sense of smugness at being coupled with such a strikingly good-looking man.

'He really is handsome' she thought now that she could examine his up close. He had an unexplainable aura around him that made her feel drawn to him. He turned his eyes to her when he felt her stare and sent a charming smile her way. She scowled at him and looked away.

"Yuffie," she heard her name being called. Tifa was waving at her in the distance, her long auburn hair flowing with her movement. 'Finally, an escape,' she thought waving back to her.

"Let go of my hand if you want you fingers to remain intact," Yuffie told Cloud in a hostile tone. He smiled at her, mirth dancing on his face, and gave her hand one last squeeze before releasing her. Yuffie walked over to Tifa with a look of resentment on her face.

"I want to leave," Yuffie said as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"What…why?" Tifa asked with a curiously raised eyebrow.

"I don't feel good," She lied.

"Oh really," Tifa said, catching on, "This wouldn't have anything to do with Cloud would it?"

"Maybe…"Yuffie stated. Tifa wasn't buying it.

"Alright! He's annoying, and clingy, and…and," Yuffie paused, "and I just don't like him."

"Oh really," Tifa challenged, "I think you _do_ like him and that's why you want to leave."

"Either way I want to leave," Yuffie declared.

"Yuffie…" Tifa started, "you can't just run from everything life throws at you, you need to start facing it."

"I will," Yuffie promised, "but not today."

Tifa wanted to roll her eyes at Yuffie immaturity. The young girl really could be irritating sometimes.

"Fine, let me go tell Leon," Tifa relented. A pleased smile found its way onto Yuffie's face, "but don't think for on second that this conversation is over," Tifa finished, making the smile on Yuffie's face falter.

As Tifa made her way over to Leon, Yuffie headed toward the car before anyone could stop her. She jumped into the passenger seat and waited for Tifa silently. In her isolated silence, Yuffie thought back to what Cloud had said to her. _You looked lonely, and sad. _She hated him for being able to see her feelings. Hated that he could see them and decipher them even better than she could herself. Yuffie wanted to jump for joy at the thought that she would never have to see the unbearable blonde man again.

XXXX

Rays of bright yellow sunlight made their way through the parted curtains and fell onto the body of a beautiful girl. She was sound asleep on a king sized mahogany bed, covered in dark crimson, silk sheets. The only sound coming from the room was her soft breath, which could be heard clearly in the stillness of the early morning. As the sunlight grew brighter, the young girl began to stir, turning away from the harsh rays that begged her to greet them with her storm-cloud eyes. She did not comply, however, and simply pulled the scarlet colored sheets over her face. She sighed sleepily as she fell back into the peaceful world of dreams.

The peace was shattered like glass when a barking Alexander burst into her room. Yuffie groaned and finally opened her eyes when Alexander had jumped onto the bed and began to lick her awake. She pushed herself up to a sitting position and glared at the dog. Alexander simply panted and wagged his tail; she sighed when she could not hold her anger toward him and found herself petting the animal lovingly. Mornings for Yuffie always began in the same fashion.

Yuffie stood from the bed, stretched her aching muscles and cracked her stiff joints. Alexander followed her into the kitchen and waited patiently for his morning kibble. As Yuffie began to boil water for tea, her thoughts returned to the conversation she had with Tifa on the ride home from the barbeque.

"_Yuffie, Cloud has been a good friend of mine for years and I know for a fact that he is a nice guy," Tifa began, "You should give him a chance."_

"_No thank you," Yuffie replied._

"_Why? What is wrong with him?" Tifa asked her curiously._

"_He is too nosey," Yuffie retorted._

"_Yuffie… I know how you feel about people knowing too much about you and the way you feel," Tifa reasoned, "but Cloud could be good for you."_

"_No, I don't want to share my pain with anyone," Yuffie said, her temper starting to flare, "No one would understand."_

_Tifa was silent for a moment as she considered her thoughts._

"_It's funny when you look at this from my point of view," Tifa said and Yuffie looked at her curiously, "both of you are so alike, holding in your pain and never letting your emotions show." Tifa paused, "When I saw you two together I wanted to cry. Cloud was smiling, a real smile too. I had never seen him smile so genuinely since his family was killed." Yuffie felt something pull at her heartstrings as Tifa continued, "And you, the girl who can not stand crowds or attention. You looked proud, almost arrogant, in front of everyone while they had their undivided attention on you."_

_Yuffie thought back and remembered how Cloud had dragged her through the crowd. She had been rather happy when everyone had thought them to be a couple. She shook herself out of her thought as Tifa continued._

"_Will you just give him a chance? Try to be his friend?" Tifa asked her with pleading eyes. Yuffie nodded to her friend and turned her attention to the passing scenery._

Yuffie had thought about the conversation all night. She remembered how Tifa had let slip that Cloud's family had been killed. 'Just like mine,' Yuffie thought to herself. She felt bad that she had left him so suddenly at the barbeque and wondered whom he had ended up sitting with.

'Who am I kidding? Every girl there had her eye on him,' she felt her anger begin to rise again. 'Just because he felt bad for the poor little orphan girl doesn't mean he wanted to be around me all day. He was probably happy that I left and he didn't have to bother with me anymore.'

Yuffie's expression began to turn sour as her pessimistic thoughts continued, 'Probably thought I was a little weakling who needed someone to cheer her up, he was just doing his civic duty.'

"Asshole," she said aloud. Alexander looked at her strangely and Yuffie simply heaved a sigh.

XXXX

The day turned out to be slightly cooler than yesterday; the last shadow of winter doing its best to hold on. It was not very cold temperature wise but there was an icy wind blowing from the north causing a slight chill.

Yuffie shivered as an exceptionally cold breeze nipped at her skin and she began to walk faster down the sidewalk to warm her body more. She knew she should have worn warmer clothes but had refused on account that it was officially spring, her favorite season, and she would pay tribute to it with her warm spring clothes even if she had to freeze in the process. She let out a joyous sigh as she arrived at her destination, Seventh Heaven Bar.

Tifa had invited her to lunch and they had agreed to meet at here so they could leave the moment Tifa's morning shift was over. Yuffie silently entered and took a seat at the near empty bar. She was surprised that there were so many people drinking so early in the day but let the thought pass as she noticed a group of middle-aged men leering at her.

'Hurry up Tifa,' Yuffie thought to herself as she tried to ignore the beer-bellied men. Tifa was not bartending; there was a redheaded woman who looked a few years older than Tifa serving the drinks. 'She must be I the back, I hope she realizes that I am here.'

Yuffie felt someone take a seat next to her but did not turn to look in fear that it was one of the leering men. The last thing she wanted to do was make eye contact with one of the perverts, that would be like saying she wanted to go home with him. She felt her seat neighbor shift as if waiting for her acknowledgement.

"Can I buy you something to drink?" he asked her and she realized that the voice sounded very familiar. She slowly turned her head and almost choked on air when she saw Cloud staring back at her with a charismatic smile gracing his face.

"What are you doing here?" she said a little louder than she wanted to. Cloud's smile grew more at her question.

"Tifa had some very important business to take care of and she asked me to take you to lunch for her," he told her smoothly.

"Oh did she?" Yuffie said through ground teeth. She knew there was no way to get out of this, especially after that little promise that Yuffie had made in Tifa's car.

"Yes," Cloud told her, "Do you want something to drink before we leave?"

"No," she replied gloomily. She was slightly worried about spending the afternoon with this man.

"Good," he said before standing up and holding his hand out to her, "Shall we then?"

Yuffie looked at his hand wearily before accepting it and allowing him to help her to her feet. When he once again refused to let go she regretted accepting it in the first place.

"Is there a reason why you like holding my hand so much?" she asked him irritably.

He lowered his head to her ear and whispered a soft, "I don't want you to run away again." He placed a light kiss on her cheek before pulling away and dragging her out of the bar. She knew that her cheeks were red enough to rival her bed sheets and she kept her face turned away from him.

She noticed that the cool wind did not seem as arctic as before and she didn't know if it was the weather or the fact that she was so close to Cloud that was making it seem warmer. When she felt most of the blood withdraw from her cheeks, she turned back to face him. She was mildly surprised when she found his gaze on her, his eyes looking at her intently. When he noticed that she had turned to him, he smiled at her gently and began to rub his thumb against her knuckles soothingly. She looked at him oddly and opened her mouth to ask what he was doing when he spoke.

"Do you like Italian food?" he asked her. Her previous thoughts left her and were replaced with images of warm pasta and melted cheese. She caught herself before she could break out in a huge grin.

"It'll do," she said, holding back her excitement.

XXXX

When Cloud had said that they were going to eat Italian she had expected some ordinary, run of the mill, chain restaurant. She did not think he would take her to one of the best restaurants in town. She wanted the lunch to be fast, in and out, and this place was known for their five course meals. She looked at the artistically decorated building with a gaping mouth. The sign read "The Donatello" and she suddenly remembered all of the fantastic reviews that she had heard about the restaurant from a variety of sources.

"Um, Cloud?" she asked meekly. He turned to look at her and she continued, "I think we need reservations to go here."

"Have them," he replied. She gulped as they came closer to the entrance.

"Well I think there is a dress code," she began again.

"Not for lunch," he said back, once again proving her wrong. They entered through the attractively carved wooden doors and almost instantly, they were led to their table. Yuffie suddenly found it hard to breathe when she learned that their "table" was actually a private booth that came with a large, opaque curtain for seclusion.

'Oh great, now I get to be completely alone with him in a small room,' she thought to herself spitefully. Cloud helped her into her seat before taking his place across from her. The waiter placed a loaf of fresh bread and a basket of garlic breadsticks on the table before giving them each a menu. Another waiter filled their water glasses and handed the wine list to Cloud. They left after that, closing the large curtain for privacy.

"I hope this place if okay," Cloud said to her. She looked up from the menu and could see the sincerity in his eyes. She nodded to him once and turned her attention back to the menu. She wasn't in the mood to talk, what she really wanted to do was pound Tifa's face into burning asphalt. She knew for a fact that the auburn haired girl had set all of this up from the beginning; it was the only explanation to why Cloud had reservations to the best restaurant in town.

"Do you like red wine?" Cloud asked, breaking her train of thought. She nodded silently, not bothering to raise her eyes from the menu.

"Any particular kind?" he inquired. She shook her head, making an effort to ignore him.

'He can take me wherever he wants but that doesn't mean I have to be nice to him,' she thought spitefully.

"Do you see any appetizers that you would like?" Cloud questioned. She shook her head again, beginning to get annoyed at his attempts to start a conversation.

"Yuffie…" he said faintly. She finally looked up from her menu when she heard the dejection in his voice. At the look on his face, all thoughts of being malicious toward him were lost.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft and tender. She closed her eyes for a moment to gather her thoughts and when she opened them back, he was staring at her in question.

"Why are you doing all this?" she said, answering his question with another question. He looked surprised for a moment and then confused.

"What do you mean?" he asked back. She heard a sound from outside the curtain and chose to end the conversation.

"Never mind," she said quickly as the waiter returned to take their orders.

The food was amazing. They had ordered fried calamari and cheesy meatball dish for appetizers and the salads consisted of a variety of mixed greens with a sweet Italian vinaigrette dressing. Cloud picked out a Stag's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon to go with dinner since they had both ordered pasta dishes. Yuffie was not about to tell anyone that she was a year and a half to young to be drinking and she was extremely lucky that the waiter did not question her age. Then again, considering the menacing look Cloud had given the man when he had asked who would be drinking, she didn't think she needed to worry.

Yuffie had ordered the five cheese ravioli for dinner and Cloud had gotten the house specialty of Lasagna. It was fantastic and Yuffie almost felt like hugging Cloud for bringing her here. The food almost melted in her mouth and the spices were blended so perfectly that eating it was pure ecstasy. Yuffie closed her eyes in bliss as she devoured another mouthful of the amazing dish.

For desert, they had shared a piece of the turtle cheesecake on account that they were both to full to eat the whole piece. When they had finished all but one last mouthful, they had a playful stare down for the piece that could only be described as something out of an old-time western movie. You could almost hear the cheesy music playing in the background. This was serious, though, and Yuffie was not about to let him have the last bite, that cheesecake was far too good. She gave him a pleading look and jutted out her bottom lip. She almost gasped in shock when she saw Cloud's fork descend and stab into the morsel. She didn't miss his devious smirk, though, and she wanted to glare when he raised the sweet dessert in front of her lips.

'He wants to spoon-feed me?' she asked herself. However, she knew from the moment she had tasted the mouth-watering sweetness that all semblance of pride was lost. She opened her mouth and accepted the luscious treat with half-lidded eyes.

At that moment, before Cloud could retract his fork from her mouth, the waiter decided to return. She didn't miss the pleased grin that adorned his face as he asked how dinner was and handed the check to Cloud. She glared at him as he left and closed the curtain back. When she turned back, she noticed that Cloud had already put the right amount of money in the small holder and placed it back on the table.

"You're paying for both?" she asked him with raised eyebrows.

"Of course," he said back, "I brought you here."

"This isn't a date though," she replied.

"It's not?" he asked, challenging her.

"Definitely not," she retorted.

"Really, what makes you say that?" he queried. She looked as if she was at a loss for words.

"It's just… not," she answered, unable to think of anything.

"Whatever you say," he said while standing up to leave. Yuffie stood as well, before Cloud could assist her. She crossed her arms in front of her chest to prevent him from grabbing her hand again. She looked up at him with a proud smirk but noticed that Cloud was giving her a cunning smirk of his own. She immediately felt uneasy.

Her eyes widened when she felt his arm snake around her waist and she tensed when his warm hand came to rest on her side and pull her body close to his. He proceeded to lead her through the restaurant with his arm around her and she suddenly felt like an idiot for not allowing him to take her hand.

It was still slightly chilly outside but Yuffie could not feel any of the cold wind with Cloud's warm body pressed against hers. They passed an older couple, who were walking in the same fashion as them, and the balding man gave a slight nod to Cloud. Cloud returned the nod and Yuffie had the feeling that some unspoken dialect had just passed between them.

They were silent for the duration of the trip, simply enjoying the cool spring air in the late afternoon. The air had a sweet smell that faintly resembled blooming honeysuckles and Yuffie took a deep breath to pull in the pleasant scent. It wasn't long before they had made it back to the seventh heaven bar.

"Well, thanks Cloud," Yuffie quipped, "Bye," she tried to walk away but Cloud hooked his other arm around her waist to prevent her escape.

"I'll give you a ride home," he told her. Her eyes widened at his declaration and she slowly began to shake her head.

"I'm not telling you where I live," she said seriously, making Cloud laugh at her earnestness.

"Well then I'll take you to my home," he said with a humorous grin on his face. Yuffie's eyes widened even more and she began to shake her head violently.

Before she knew what was happening, Yuffie found herself facing the passenger side of a silver Porsche Carrera. Cloud was holding the door open for her to get in and she slowly complied. She watched him suspiciously, as he casually climbed into the driver seat and started the car. Yuffie felt a thrill at the sound of the powerful engine coming to life and before she could gather her thoughts, she found herself giving Cloud directions to her house.

XXXX

When Cloud had pulled up to her house, Yuffie hustled to unbuckle her seatbelt and bolt from the car. Her hands were shaky as she struggled to unlatch the seatbelt and she sighed in defeat as Cloud opened the passenger door and disengaged the belt for her. She muttered a hushed "thank you" as she stepped out of the car. Cloud followed her silently to the door and Yuffie felt slightly tense as she came closer to the wooden entryway. Not wanting to be rude, she turned to give him a nonchalant farewell.

"Well, that was fun… Bye!" she said hurriedly as she fished for her keys in her pocket.

"Is that any way to end a date?" he asked her, amused.

"This wasn't a date!" she retorted. Her eyes lit up with glee as she found her keys and placed the house key into the lock. She turned back to Cloud.

"Listen, this was really nice, but I don't want or need your charity," she began. Cloud had a confused look on his face and raised a curious eyebrow as she continued, "I know that you are just doing this because Tifa or Leon asked you to. You don't have to pretend anymore, you can go and find yourself a prettier girl with bigger boobs and live happily ever after," she finished.

Cloud looked at her as if she had grown another head. Yuffie turned back around to unlock the door. Before she could open it, though, she felt a strong hand come to rest atop hers, preventing her from turning the knob. She turned to look at Cloud in question.

Between one breath and the next, Yuffie found herself pressed against her door with Cloud looking at her irately. He did not seem pleased and all Yuffie could do was gulp nervously, waiting for him to speak.

"I don't know why you find me to be dishonest but I think it is time I set the record straight," he began, his tone livid, "First of all, this was a date. Deny it all you want but it's the truth."

She opened her mouth to reply but he spoke again.

"Secondly, I want _you_, not some big breasted bimbo who doesn't have a care in the world," he said earnestly. She was at a loss for words at this statement and simply stared at him uncertainly.

"And lastly, this is how you are supposed to end a date," he said before sealing his lips to hers.

Her mind ceased forming coherent thought the moment their lips met. It was as if all of her senses were connected to him and everything else was nonexistent. His scent was invading her mind and causing a sort of "high" feeling in her brain. His lips tasted delightful and she realized that she preferred them to the succulent turtle cheesecake any day. She could feel his heart pounding in his chest and felt her own heart begin to synchronize with it.

The kiss itself was innocent and chaste, but filled with more emotions than possible. It was as if he was pushing all his feelings and passion into the kiss to prove his earlier words as truth. He pulled her body closer to his and let his hands roam her back. He wasn't rough and lustful with his touch, but tender and soothing, as if she was made of china and would break if he were too forceful with her.

He pulled back slowly, letting their breath mingle. He watched her carefully, her eyes still shut and her chest heaving with each breath. He smiled and began to place feather-light kisses over her flushed face.

"Do believe me now, my little Yuffie?" he asked between kisses. She slowly opened her eyes to gaze at him and he stepped back from her to meet her eyes fully. When his body was no longer supporting her weight she felt her knees give out and she stumbled slightly. Cloud held her up and she looked at him embarrassed. The fact that he had left her body boneless after such a short and virtuous kiss said much about his kissing ability. She wondered what it would be like to kiss him thoroughly and if he were as good at other things as he was with his lips. She blushed at her impure thoughts.

A loud scratching noise came from the other side of the door, followed by two loud dog barks. Yuffie sighed to herself and looked to Cloud apologetically.

"Is that the famous Alexander?" he asked with an amused smile on his face.

"Yeah," Yuffie replied, "He sounds hungry."

"Well, go feed him, but then I think we need to have a long talk," he told her before placing a quick kiss on her lips. She nodded, slightly dazed from tasting his soft lips again, and turned to open the door. Yuffie walked in, heading toward the kitchen, and Cloud stepped in behind her.

"Do you want anything to drink?" she shouted to him as Cloud took a seat in the living room.

"No thank you," he replied. Moments later, she stepped into the living room and took a comfortable seat next to Cloud. She gave herself a moment to gather her thoughts before turning to him.

"So… what it is that you want to talk about?" she asked him. She was slightly surprised when her placed a concerned hand on hers and squeezed gently.

"Tell me…" he began, "why do you live all alone in a giant house like this?"

She was shaken by his question, she did not expect him to ask her that first. She took a deep breath as memories that she had buried in the deepest recesses of her mind came flooding back. Tears began to gather in her eyes as she thought back to better times, times when she wasn't the only one living in this house. She felt Cloud squeeze her hand again before picking it up to rub calming circles on her palm. She took a long shaky breath before she spoke.

"This was my parent's house, I grew up here," she said. Cloud nodded in understanding as she continued, "They left it to me when they died." Her voice almost cracked on the last word but she held herself together.

"How did they die?" he asked softly, not wanting to upset her but wanting answers as well. It was a moment before she answered and Cloud waited patiently.

"My father died in a car accident when I was six and my mother…" she paused and Cloud watched her closely, "My mother was murdered by my stepfather when I was ten."

Yuffie's tears spilled over her and ran down her face. Cloud shifted her closer and moved his hand to rub her back sensitively while waiting for her to calm.

"Why did he do it?" Cloud asked. Yuffie glanced at him for a moment before shifting her eyes away; she did not want to look at him when she answered that question.

"He molested me and she turned him into the police," she said almost inaudibly.

Cloud's mouth was gapped open and he felt his own heart ache for her. He watched her and waited for her reaction, any reaction. Whether it was to cry into his arms or push him away angrily. He wanted to shake her when she just sat there as if being molested by her stepfather was a normal occurrence.

'All those year of pain that she spent alone,' he thought to himself, 'She doesn't know how to express her feelings to others.'

He felt the pressure in his chest increase tenfold and his own tears well up in his eyes, tears not for himself but for her. She looked over to him in question, her hand rising to his cheek as if to test if the tears were real.

"Why are you crying?" she asked him, "This is my pain."

He smiled at her faintly before pulling her closer to plant a soft kiss to her forehead.

"But I can feel it too," he said to her as he rested his head against hers. She looked up at him oddly.

"Is that because your family is dead as well," she asked him. He backed away to look her in the eye.

"Partly," he said, "but I think it's more than that."

She waited for an explanation and was surprised when Cloud brought his hand to rest on her cheek.

"I know how it feels to lose your family so it's easier to understand your pain," he explained, "but at the same time I can see how you are holding it in and not letting anyone see how it really affects you."

Her eyes widened at his rationalization and she waited for him to continue. He stroked her cheekbone with his thumb affectionately before he spoke again.

"If you let it out and share your pain openly, I promise it won't hurt as much," he told her empathetically.

More tears spilled from her eyes she thought of his words and their meaning.

"I don't know if I…" her words were silenced when he moved his fingers to her lips.

"We can take baby steps," he said with a small smile gracing his face. She nodded to him as her own lips curved into a smile behind his fingers. Her heart began to flutter again as he lowered his head and replaced his fingers with his lips in another sweet kiss. She kissed him back this time, and felt herself fall into the passionate craze he ignited with his lips.

XXXX

_Three months later…_

It was late spring and the weather was warm. Every plant was in full bloom and there was a thick layer of pollen on most of everything. Yuffie sat in her kitchen waiting for her tea to boil. Her eyes were half-lidded with sleep and her whole body was drowsy. She was usually not awake at this hour but she found she could not sleep very well on this particular day. Alexander was wolfing down his breakfast and Yuffie watched him with mild interest. The sound of the teapot boiling brought her out of her thoughts and she turned to take it off the boiler and pour herself a steaming cup. She heard an annoyed groan come from the direction of her bedroom and she couldn't help the amused smile that found its way to her face.

A sleepy looking Cloud stepped out of the room with a displeased look on his face. He was wearing a pair of plaid pajama pants low on his hips and his hair was tousled from sleep. He looked at her for a moment before he spoke.

"You know that I hate waking up alone," he told her in mock anger. She looked at him with a devious smile.

"Poor baby," she said back sarcastically. He glared at her for a moment before moving to stand behind her and wrap his arms around her waist. He kissed her on the neck lovingly before moving his lips to her ear.

"Are you ready for today?" he whispered before placing another light kiss behind her ear. She hesitated for a moment but gathered her courage.

"Yes," she said in a confident tone. She felt him smile against her skin and she knew he was pleased.

XXXX

The cemetery was empty and Yuffie was glad. The grass was still wet with dew and the sun had barely risen beyond the trees. She walked silently, respecting the reverence of the graveyard and kept her eyes focused on her destination. Cloud walked next to her, his hand linked with hers and they each held a bouquet of flowers.

It was the anniversary of her mother's death. A day she had never spent with anyone, a day that held deeper pain for her than anything else in the world. They neared the tombstone slowly and Yuffie could already feel the sting of fresh tears come to her eyes. Cloud looked to her in question and she simply nodded her head to let him know she was all right.

Yuffie slowly lowered herself to the ground in front of the grave and Cloud followed suit. They each placed their flowers on the mound of earth, under which her mother was buried, and bowed their heads in respect. Cloud watched as Yuffie closed her eyes and he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, massaging the tense muscles.

'Mom, I miss you. I wish you were here everyday. You'll be happy to know that I'm not alone though, not anymore. I brought him here to see you and I know you would love him. I won't be coming as often as before, Cloud keeps me too busy by dragging me out on dates.'

A small smile made its way to her face as she thought back to their first date.

'He told me that we will get married one day and I thought it would be peculiar considering that the front rows, where the family is supposed to sit, would be completely empty on both sides. I guess that it is better than having only my side empty though. I miss you so much mom and I know that you are watching down on us. I love you.'

Yuffie opened her eyes to look at Cloud. He was smiling at her and she couldn't help but to fall into his embrace and cry. He held her to him, and placed a soothing kiss in her hair. He rocked her back and forth while whispering calming words in her ear.

'She's finally opening up and letting her emotions show,' he thought as he felt her salty tears leak through his shirt and cool the warm flesh of his chest. His arms instinctively tightened around her and he felt her crying slow as she relaxed against him.

As they sat on the ground in each other's arms, Cloud came to something of an epiphany.

'_They say sadness contradicts happiness but in the end, when you can find joy through sorrow, then you have found the truest and most pure form of happiness.' _

**A/N- holy god that was long! There are more words in this than all four chapters of Thou Shalt Not! I'm tired now… sleep. Review please.**


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